By Ernest Scheyder
LAC LA BICHE, Alberta, May 13 (Reuters) - Canadian Prime
Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday saw the devastation caused by
a wildfire that tore through the Alberta town of Fort McMurray
and forced several oil sands operations to shut.
The inferno is the first natural disaster to confront
Trudeau, whose Liberals took power in November. He promises the
federal government will do everything it can to help in a
rebuilding effort likely to take years.
"The people of Fort McMurray have been through so much and
are still standing strong," Trudeau said via Twitter. "I'm
looking forward to visiting and being with you today."
He was seen on television boarding a helicopter in the town
for an aerial tour.
Trudeau has faced criticism in Alberta, a province that does
not usually vote for his party, for waiting more than a week to
survey the damage. The prime minister has said he did not want
his visit to interfere with firefighting efforts.
"I think it's a good thing he's coming," said Fort McMurray
housekeeper Maureen Pearce at a supply center for evacuees in
Lac La Biche, Alberta. "I hope he provides more aid."
After touring the most damaged areas, Trudeau will hold a
news conference with Alberta Premier Rachel Notley at 5:15 p.m.
ET (2115 GMT) in the provincial capital of Edmonton.
The 88,000 people who were evacuated hurriedly as the town
caught fire are living in temporary accommodation across the
province while authorities work to restore power, gas, water and
communications.
Local officials say it will be 10 days before they can even
produce a plan for resettlement, much less allow people to
return to a place where small fires are still erupting.
Pearce, who believes both her Fort McMurray home and the
hotel where she works survived the fire, said emergency funds
from the Alberta government are helpful.
"But if we're going to be out of our homes for a month,
we'll need more."
Evacuees are collecting this week Alberta debit cards loaded
with C$1,250 ($966) per adult and C$500 per dependent, as well
as Canadian Red Cross aid of C$600 for each adult and C$300 for
each child.
The wildfire knocked out nearly half, or 1.07 million
barrels per day (bpd), of Alberta's oil sands capacity. The
effort to restart projects is progressing slowly.
A spokesman for the Alberta Energy Regulator said it had
four staff in the Fort McMurray region and more traveling there
on Friday. They will visit oil sands sites and help operators
safely move toward restarting production.
Four major oil firms operating in the area around Fort
McMurray have now declared force majeure, a contract clause to
remove liability for unavoidable catastrophes.
The fire spans 241,000 hectares (596,000 acres), growing
much more slowly than before. The Canadian military, which had
provided transport planes and helicopters, said on Thursday the
aircraft would start returning home.
Around 350 soldiers though will remain on a state of
heightened readiness.
(With additional reporting by Nia Williams in Calgary and Rod
Nickel in Winnipeg; Writing by David Ljunggren; Editing by
Cynthia Osterman)